Speech #870219444

The House of Representatives approved the conference report on today. 1962. The bill as it has been agreed upon by the Senate conferees and the House would do three things: First. Lift out of the foreign aid legislation and establish in a separate statute authority for the President to participate in three programs: (a) Contributions to the Intergovernmental Committee for European MigrationICEM. (b) contributions to the United Nations High Commissioner for RefugeesUNCHR. and (c) the U.S. escapee programUSEP. Second. Establish specific authority to assist Cuban refugees who have come to the United States. Heretofore this assistance has been carried out through contingency authority and funds under the foreign aid program. Third. Provide the President with authority to meet unexpected refugee. escapee. and migration problems by using not to exceed $10 million in any fiscal year out of his foreign aid contingency fund. In addition. the bill contains authority for the President to delegate his reI sponsibilities under it to appropriate officers of the U.S. Government. to allocate funds to such officers to operate the programs. and to expend funds for necessary operating and administrative purposes. The bill in no way changes the law pertaining to admission of aliens to the United States. Because it had been thought that the House was not going to appoint cone ferees on H.R. 8291 the Senate on June 7. 1962. passed S. 2996. the foreign aik I bill. which contained as part V a proposed Migration and Refugee Assistance Act of 1962 in the form substantiall3 similar to the Senate version of H.R 8291. As a result of the conference. i am glad to say that the language of th( - conference bill is substantially identica E to part V of S. 2996 as the Senate passec it with the addition of the provision reI quiring Senate confirmation of the hea( .- of the Bureau of Security and Consula: Le Affairs in the Department of State whici was a part of the Senate version of H.R. 8291. Mr.